


We Keep Living On and On

by romeoandjulietyouwish



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dead May Parker (Spider-Man), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hugs, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Peter Parker, Men Crying, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Non-Canonical Character Death, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Ben Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Teen Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, also
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24988609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeoandjulietyouwish/pseuds/romeoandjulietyouwish
Summary: Two different sleepless nights several years apart with Peter and the people that love him.
Relationships: Ben Parker & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 5
Kudos: 71
Collections: The Friendly Neighborhood Exchange





	We Keep Living On and On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Imperfectwench](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imperfectwench/gifts).



> Hey, guys! I'm back writing irondad! It's been more than a month since my last marvel fic was posted and for those of you that don't follow my Tumblr or check out my ao3, it's because I've fallen hard in a different fandom (911) and i have done nothing but write those fics while stuck with an awful case of burnout for irondad fics. But anyways, I hope that you're all doing well!
> 
> HUGE thank you to my betas @squibbles94 and @dredfulhapiness without you guys this would have been an on fire dumpster so thank you!
> 
> Guys, idk if this means more marvel fics are coming your way because I just started rehearsals for a show (yay!) and I have already committed to writing quite a few 911 fics, but I'll be sure to keep you updated :D

Ben wakes up in the middle of the night. He’s not sure why at first. He turns over to look at his wife, May, and finds her still asleep beside him. With an annoyed sigh, Ben closes his eyes and tries to fall back asleep. That’s when he hears it. 

A sob breaks through the quiet and Ben is immediately alert. The sound of a child in distress will do that to anyone. He gets up from bed and creeps out of his bedroom and into Peter’s room. Peter has only been living with them for a few months and has finally begun to open up to them. Ben hopes that Peter will feel comfortable enough to open up to him after a nightmare. 

He pushes open the door and sees Peter kicking his legs and squirming under his blankets, crying into his pillow. “Peter?” He asks quietly, hoping to draw his attention. But Peter doesn’t react. As he walks deeper into the room, stepping over toys and books on the ground Ben’s heart catches in his chest as he realizes that Peter is still asleep. He rushes to the boy’s side and gently shakes him awake. 

Peter’s eyes spring open as he gasps for air. He looks up at his uncle with wide, sad eyes. Immediately, Peter lurches forward and throws his arms around Ben. 

“Woah, woah, woah,” Ben catches him easily and rubs a hand up and down his small back. He can feel Peter trembling as he tucks his head under his shoulder. “You’re okay, Petey. It’s just a dream, I’m here. I’m here.” Peter clings even closer to Ben. “You’re safe. It’s okay.”

“I was-was so scared,” Peter whispers into Ben’s collar. 

“I know, bubba.” Ben rocks him slightly back and forth. “But it’s okay now, we’re okay.” Ben lets silence fill the room for a moment as he hugs Peter. “Do you want to tell me about your dream?” Peter quickly shakes his head no. “Are you sure? It might make you feel better.” 

Peter looks up at his uncle, the silvery light from the moon reflecting in the tears streaming down his cheeks. “It will?”

“Yeah, Petey.” Ben brushes a strand of hair out of Peter’s face. “In my experience, it’s always better to tell someone how you’re feeling.” 

“Okay,” Peter sits up a little, staying in Ben’s lap, but giving himself room to talk. “I was alone,” Peter begins quietly. “You and Auntie May were both gone, and I couldn’t find you like I couldn’t find Mommy and Daddy.” 

“Oh, bubba.” Ben pulls Peter close again, tucking the small boy against his chest. “Shh…” Ben sighs, ruffling Peter’s curls as he drags his fingers through them. “You’re never going to be alone, okay? Not as long as Aunt May and I have anything to say about it.”

“You promise?” 

Peter looks up at Ben with such absolute and complete trust, and Ben has no choice but to smile down at his nephew and offer his pinky. “I promise.”

Peter reaches out and links his little finger with his uncle’s, shaking them once before falling back into Ben’s waiting arms. Ben smiles and says, “I’m always going to be here for you, Petey.” 

Now at 16, it’s been a hard couple years for Peter Parker. His uncle died protecting him, and only two years later his aunt collapsed while she was at work. She was pronounced dead two hours later. Leaving Peter alone. 

But to his surprise, Tony takes him in. He adopts him. Peter couldn’t be more grateful for the man who has been like a father to him for the few years he has known him. Tony does his best to care for Peter, makes sure he knows that he is loved. He makes him food, hugs him when he’s feeling down, and listens when he rants about school. He makes time for them to spend together, watches an endless stream of movies with him when he’s sick, and he makes him laugh. 

“Boss, Peter is in distress.” Tony is working in his bedroom on some new specs for SI when FRIDAY alerts him. 

Tony is out of his room. He walks quickly down the hall, pausing briefly in front of the door. He knocks three times before pushing it open. Tony’s heart breaks at the sight. Peter is sitting on his bed, sobbing, clutching a pillow tight to his chest. His cheeks are red and covered with tears. The sounds that erupt from his throat sound painful. He’s drowning in an NYPD sweatshirt.

“Ben?” Peter looks up at Tony through his tears. 

Tony is frozen for a moment before he crosses the room and sits down on the bed in front of Peter. “No, Pete, I’m not Ben.” Tony reaches out and touches Peter’s head. 

Tony is frozen. They’ve never talked about Peter’s uncle, not really. Peter had only mentioned him once or twice and from the vacant stare he’d always get at the mention of the name Tony knew the omission was not from a lack of love, but an abundance of pain. He crosses the room and sits down in front of Peter, the boy’s cries shaking the bed. “No, Pete, I’m not Ben.” Tony reaches out and gently touches Peter’s head. 

“I want Ben,” Peter sobs harder, his lip trembling. “I want May.” 

Peter crumbles into Tony’s arms, and he is quick to support the boy’s weight. “I know you do, sweetheart. I am so sorry that they can’t be here with you.” Tony holds Peter close, wishing more than anything that he could make the boy’s pain go away. He would take it in a heartbeat. But he can’t. So Tony asks, “Tell me what I can do.”

“Dad,” Peter hiccups. Did he…? Tony only allows himself the fragment of a thought before focusing all his attention on the child in his arms, not on the thoughts tearing their way through his brain. 

Peter freezes in his grip and pulls himself out of Tony’s arms, looking up at him with fear. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t mean...it just slipped out, I-”

Peter whimpers again, causing Tony to pull him right back into his arms, “It’s okay, Pete. You can call me that if you want, I don’t mind. Tell me what I can do, bambino.” 

With Peter unable to see his face, Tony lets himself smile. He called him dad. It’s an honor Tony never thought he’d be deserving of.

“Stay?” Peter clutches Tony’s shirt, and Tony’s pretty sure that even if he wanted to, he couldn’t get up. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Tony promises, “okay? I’m going to be right here.”

Tony holds Peter close, he can’t make Peter miss Ben and May any less. He can’t take Peter’s pain away. But he can be here for him, he can hold Peter in his arms, tell him that it’s okay to cry and feel the pain from their deaths. He can tell him all the things he wished someone would essay when he lost his parents. He can tell him he loves him as much as Peter needs to hear it. 

It won’t be immediate, but slowly the pain will go away and Peter will be able to look back at his memories of Ben and May and smile. He can think of how Ben used to lift him on his shoulders and run around the apartment, Peter laughing the whole way. He can think of how May used to make him caramel popcorn every Saturday movie night. And he can smile. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciated!
> 
> Tumblr- @romeoandjulietyouwish


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